Is this classification based on (or linked to) an international standard classification? If yes, please describe.

WZ 2008 is based on the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2), which itself is based on the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC Rev. 4).

3 (b)

Is the classification structure identical to the international standard or, if not, how does it differ? (e.g. have additional levels been added to the international standard or have changes been made within the level of the international structure, such as aggregations or additional breakdowns)

NACE Rev. 2 has been extended by one national level (five-digit subclasses). In NACE Rev. 2 itself the three-digit and four-digit groups and classes of ISIC Rev. 4 have sometimes been subdivided with differing codes. A clear regrouping into the groups and classes of ISIC Rev. 4 is always possible.

3 (c)

Please describe deviations from the international standard (in terms of structure, methodology or application rules). Please use examples, if a general statement is not possible.

See above.Classification rules for outsourcing are more detailed and more strict, identical with the rules described in NACE Rev. 2.

3 (d)

At what level of the international standard can data be reported for international comparison? (Please provide examples of programmes / indicators if reporting takes place at different levels of the classification.)

Different levels of ISIC Rev. 4; at least division level, for most data also group and class level. Number of enterprises and local units, number of employees, turnover can be reported for ISIC Rev. 4 classes for example.

3 (e)

If no links to international classifications exist or no international standard is used, please state if there are plans to use international norms in the future.

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Classification uses

4 (a)

Please state for which statistical purposes (surveys etc.) this classification is used and if there are users outside of the Statistical Office. Please indicate at which level the classification is used for data collection and for data publishing.

All official statistical surveys about economic activities, e.g. statistics on manufacturing, trade, hotels and restaurants , transport, business and personal services, wages and salaries, taxes, insolvencies, cost structure, national accounts, enterprise registration. Used also by Federal Employment Agency and National Bank for statistical purpose. In most cases used for collection at class or subclass level. Level for publishing as deep as possible from a quality point of view.

4 (b)

Please give the names of institutions that use the classification for non-statistical purposes (as opposed to statistical purposes in question 4(a)). Also indicate the kind of use (e.g. tax offices, social security, customs, enterprise register, employment services, work permits etc.)

Ministry of Finance / Ministry of Economic Affaires / Ministry of Labour; authorities of that kind on a lower national or on a regional level. Accident Prevention and Insurance Associations. Used for decisions on subventions, differentiation in taxation, enterprise registration, employment registration, checking of enterprises by tax authorities. Used for decisions on the working time of occupational health and safety experts.

4 (c)

Please indicate if alternative classifications are used by other institutions of the economy. Are these classifications available and useful for the Statistical Office?

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Implementation / revision status

5 (a)

Please state the date of the official adoption of the classification. If not yet adopted, please indicate the current state (e.g. in development, sent for approval, in printing, ready to be distributed etc.)

Approval of the structure by a national expert committee in June 2006

5 (b)

Please state the date of use of the classification for individual statistical programmes.

2008

5 (c)

Are there existing plans for revision or update of the current classification?

No

5 (d)

Name of former (previous) national classification (full name in both national tongue and in English with acronyms in brackets, should be given)

Please describe the link of the former classification to international classifications

WZ 2003 is based on the Statistical Classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 1.1), which itself is based on the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC Rev. 3.1).

5 (f)

Please describe the structure of the former classification and indicate the number of items at each level of the classification. (similar to question 2(a))